Flock cutting machine



Dec. 24, 1940. I. HINERFELD FLOCK CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I Irving Hmerfeld (2 Kym/2 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 24,1940. 1. HINERFELD FLOCK CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll I Hum".

, INVENTOR. i 'lr-ving Hmerrfeld I; HINERFELD FLOCK CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVtNTOR. Irving H l'nerfeld 00M ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 PATENT oFFics .001: cu'r'rmo momma Irving Hinerfeld, New mi. N. Y. Application August 26, 1939, Serial No. 291,999

2 Claims. (c1. ss-a This invention is a comminuting machine used in connection with fibrous materials, such as cotton, wool, leather, etc.

In operating upon such fibrous materials, par- 5 ticularly in the cutting thereof into minute lengths, such as are'requiredfor the making of fillers and other bulk material used in plastics and for the manufacture of artificial leathers,

considerable dimculty has been encountered due to the tendency of such fibers to bunch or matt.

Comminuting fibrous material is best accomplished through the employment of relatively rotary and stationary knives, but fibers tend to bulk or matt in such a way as to clog these knives or to place such excessive strains on the apparatus heretofore employed as to cause serious manufacturing problems. In, for example, the

manufacture of fiockwhere relatively short, substantially uniform lengths of fibre are desired, the

bunching up or matting of the fibres has not only seriously interfered with the cutting, but has also tended to clog the cutters and not infrequently resulted in the stoppage of production or of breakage of the mechanical parts employed in this operation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will satisfactorily comminute fibrous material in a thoroughly emcient manner with absolute safety and with'increased output of material of substantially uniform length v The machine of this invention embodies a rotor carrying a plurality of knives adapted to be operated at high speed about a fixed axis, so that the several knives of the rotor may coact with stationary knives mounted on the rigid frame of the machine. One important feature of this invention consists in providing within such a machine a screen of novel construction whereby the material to be operated upon is maintained in the zone of the knives until it has been cut to the desired dimension. 1.1a screen consists, generally speaking, of a relatively fine wire cloth reinforced on both sides by plies of sheet metalhav- '45 mg therein registering perforations of much largersisethanthemeshoftheclotnsoasto properly support the mesh as will be hereinafter more fully explained. l

Another feature of the invention consists in to passing through the machine, during theoperation thereof,a current of air-in sufficient volume and under sumcient veiocityto efiiciently cool the "kniveatoassistinthefeedofmaterialtothe' knives,and toalsoassistintheremovalofthe s5 finished product from themaehine; inshorhto maintain the machine at proper temperature and to facilitate the passage ofthe material therethrough. This current of air is moreover availed of tofacilitate the collecting and packaging of the end product. 5 Another feature of the invention consists in the mounting of the stationary knives in such, manner that they are positively locked in position by locking means capable of withstanding the unusually heavy shocks to which these knives are 10 subjected during thecutting of fibrous material.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 15 The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to'be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limitsof the invention. :0

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a machine embodying this invention, this section being taken in the plane of the line l-| of Figure 2.

Figurezis afrontviewofthemachine of Figure 1 showing certain parts broken away, so that as their structure may be more clearly seen.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of two brackets employed in the machine for supporting the stationary knives. I

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the screen. 3 Figure 5 is a fragmental section of a portion of the screen. a

Figure dis a perspective view of a cradle which I employ to hold the screen normally in operative position with respect to the knives. 35 As shown in the accompanying drawings, the. machine embodies two cast end plates i and 2 provided therein with alined bearings 3 adapted to support the shaft 4 of a rotary cutter. The

end plates are spaced apart at their bases by.

angle sections 5 positioned at the front and back of the machine and at their top portions by an elongated hollow casting I on which is superimposed a feed hopper I. These parts are suitably. bolted together, so as to collectively form the-as rigid frame of the machine. a I

' Bolted between the end plates at the front and back of the machine are a pair of brackets. one of which is shown in detail in-Figure 8. Each.

bracket comprises a rugged, rigid'bar of metal I, w

of substantially rectangular cross section and to the opposite ends of this bar are-welded arouate' anchoring fianges I. These are adapted'to abut the inner faces of the end plates and be firmly bolted thereto to rigidly mount the bar I, u

which constitutes the stationary knife bar, in position. One of these brackets is positioned at the front and the other at the back of the machine and they collectively serve to provide two parallel rigid knife bars 8 positioned above the axis of the main shaft 4 and in inclined relation, as shown in Figure 1. Two knives are associated with each knife bar, the knives i0 being arranged in face abutting relation with the upper faces of the bars and the knives II in corresponding relation to the lower faces of the bars. Both the bars and knives are perforated and locking bolts I2 extend through these perforations to lock the knives rigidly to the bars.

Each of the knives i0 and II is provided with transverse slots so that the. blade can be adjusted 'in a direction normal to its cutting edge, but

above each knife l0 and below each knife 8 I are wide and thick cleats l3 and I l, respectively. These cleats are in the form of plates which extend for the full length of the blade and are perforated, so that the bolts l2 can snugly pass therethrough and between the heads and nuts of the bolts and the plates l3 and M are positioned the usual washers l5. The use of plates l3 and i4 is of particular importance in this invention, for when I attempted to operate a machine without them, it was found that the shock of cutting fiber was so great that the washers havehad no difficulty with the knife mountings.

The space between the end frames above the knives is enclosed at the front and back of the machine by aprons il held in place by screws i8 and PIOVldEd with handles IS. The space between the end plates below the knife barst, at the front and back of the machine, are closed by similar aprons held in place by screws 2! and having handles 22. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the screw: 2| pass through slots 23 in the aprons 20 and, when the screws are loosened, the aprons may be dropped down to release the flanges at their upper edges from engagement with the nuts of the locking bolts l2, so that the aprons can be lifted out to render the interior of the machine, below the knives, readily accessible.

Within the machine and mounted upon the shaft 4 is a rotary cutter head 24 to which is attached a series of cutting blades 25. Five of these blades are'shown and the spacing of these knives and the stationary knives ill and Ii s such that no two stationary and rotatable blades will come into cutting relation at the same time. The cutting is thus accomplished by the. blades successively and the shock of this operation is thus distributed throughout 360 degrees of rotation of the cutter head.

Arranged below the rotary cutting head 24 is a coaxial screen, designated generally by the reference character 26. This screen is of three ply construction. The center ply consists of wire cloth 2! of a mesh appropriate to the require ments of the end product. For the manufacture of flock 60 to 150 mesh per inch is used and a steel or bronze cloth is preferred in this connection. Such a cloth, because of its fineness is fragile and I therefore reinforce it on both sides by sheet metal which may be of strong and durable construction. 20 gauge thickness has been found to be effective. It is applied in the form of two sheets 28 and 29 facially contacting, respectively, with the concave and convex surfaces of the wire cloth and rivets 30 are passed through the entire assembly in closely spaced relation, so as to bind the laminations firmly together, so that they cannot be separated by material which would otherwise'tend -to work. between them. The inner plate 28 and the outer plate 29 are provided with juxtaposed perforations 3!, which may conveniently be in the form of holes of V diameter. These holes must register with one another to preclude clogging of the screen.

The front and back edges of the screen are provided with metallic bindings 32 which are riveted in place and are shaped to seat against the under faces of the knives H, as best shown in Figure 1, with the curvature of the screen, as a whole, concentric with the cutter head. The screen is adapted to be normally held in place in this position by means of a cradle 33, shown in detail in Figure 6. This cradle is shaped to conform 'to the screen. It has substantially semicircular ribstt joined at their free ends by rigidly attached longitudinal spacing bars 35 and across the bottom of this cradle is welded a channel section 36- with the channel facing downwardly. The channel of this section is adapted to receive the square or hexagonal heads 31 of supporting struts 38 which-extend downwardly through holes passing diametrically through a rock shaft 39;, shown best in Figures 1 and 2. Rock shaft 39 is .iournalled at its opposite ends in the end plates 4 and 2 and is adapted to freely turn therein, ex-' cept when locked against rotation by the studs when the heads 31 of the latter are in the channel section. The struts 38 are threaded and are adapted to receive adjusting nuts at.

When the parts are in operative position, the

adjusting nuts are screwed down tightly against the rock shaft 39, thereby elevating the heads 31 of these studs into the channel section 36 of the cradle, so that the cradle is forced upwardly and seats the bindings 32 of the screen firmly against the lower knives with the ends of the screen beneath semi-circular conforming shouders 2a cast in the inner faces of the end plates. As long as these adjusting nuts 68 are tight the screen will be held in this position and two or three of thesestuds are employed to insure a holding of the cradle and screen in place. When it is desired to remove the screen, the adjusting nuts t!) are backed ofi suflicientiy to allow the heads 31 of the studs to be withdrawn from the angle section-36 of the cradle and the rock shaft 89 is then oscillated to bring the studs into the dotted line position of Figure 1. This will release the cradle and screen, so that they may be dropped down into the lower portion of the casing and, when one of the aprons 20 is removed, the screen and cradle can be lifted out bodily through the front or back of the machine as may be desired.

The bottom of the machine is closed by a plate at provided therein with an opening 42 with which registers the inlet end of an outlet duct 43. blower 44 adapted to discharge-into a bell 45 to which a sack 46 or other suitable container is adapted to be attached so as to receive the prodnot of the machine.

This duct includes an appropriate suction The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

lized for the manufacture of fiock, the apparatus is started by transmitting power to the main shaft 4 to cause rotation of the cutter head and at the same time power is applied tothe suction blower 44. As a result the cutter head is rotated at high speed and there is also set up a rapidly moving current of air of considerable volume which enters the machine through the hopper I,

passes downwardly about the cutters and through the screen into the bottom of the machine from whence it passes through the outlet duct and through the blower M to the bell 45 and thence to the associated container 46.

Either of both the container and hell are of fabric or other foraminous material, so that the air can freely passout through the walls thereof while any solid material entrained therein will remain in the hell or container. The material to be operated upon is now fed into the hopper.

Mill ends, fabric scrap, waste, and any other fibrous material adapted to be operated upon maybe introduced. This material is immediately carried down into the cutting chamber of the machine where it is engaged by the rotary cutter head, and more particularly the cutters thereof, and carried into cutting relation with the knives l0 and II which shear the material as the rotary knives pass the stationary knives. The rotor is operated at high speed and the material intro duced turns with the rotor and through centrifugal force, as well as the force of gravity, and is continuously subjected to the cutting and shearing operations of the knives for the purpose of rapidly reducing the material into fibres of short length.

As the operation progresses, fibre divisions will result which are small enough to pass through the screen and more particularly through the wire cloth portion thereof and as such fine divisions are formed, they will pass through the screen and fall into the lower portion of the chamber of the machine. The efficient passage of" these finely divided fibers through the mesh of the screen will be materially expedited by the current of air passing through the machine,,and at the same time, said current of air will assist in waithe feed of further material into the machine,

problem, but I have-found that the circulation of air in considerable volume through the machine during the cutting operationis the solution of the problem and this constitutes an important phase of the'present invention.

A further function of the air is to carry off the cut material as itleaves the screen and to pass it through the outlet duct 43 to the container 46 in which it is either finally or preliminarily packaged.

Experience has shown thatiwhen air is passed through @the machine in the manner described, the output of the machine is greatly increased by immediately freeing from the cutting chamber or I zone, all material that can pass through the screen; Consequently this material does nbt back up at the screen and clog theapparatus. It is freed from the cutting chamber practically as the screen.

In the manner described material is passed through the machine without danger to the masoon as it is cut to sumclent size to pass through chine parts or to workmen and in an unusually the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

The comminuting of-material by the use of stationary and cooperating rotating knives with coincident feed of the material to the knives by a current ofair which cools the knives and facilitates the feed of the cut material through a screen and thereafterpasses it to and packs it within a. container, constitutes a novel method forming part of this invention.

' Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A comminuting apparatuscomprising a casing having a main shaft extending therethrough,

' a rotary cutter head mounted on the mainshaft and carryingcutter blades, relatively fixed cutter blades mounted on the casing in cooperative relation to the blades of the cutter head, a screen of substantially cylindrical form extending across the casing below the cutter head and substantially coaxial therewith, said screen having a sheet metal plates respectively provided with juxtaposed perforations and secured to one another through the wire cloth to retain the plates and cloth firmly in face abutting relation, a cradle supporting said screen from below and substantially" conforming to the shape thereof, a rock shaft extending across the casing below the, cradle, and threaded studs supported by the rock shaft engaging with the, cradle to support the cradle and superimposed screen-in cooperative relation with the rotary cutter head.

layer of fine mesh wire cloth interposed between 2. A fiock cutting apparatus comprising a cas- I ing having a cutter shaft extending therethrough, a rotary cutter head mounted on said shaft and carrying cutter blades, relatively fixed cutter blades mounted on the casing in cooperative relation to the blades of the cutter head, a screen -of substantially semi-cylindrical form extending uninterruptedly across the casing below the cutterhead and substantially coaxial therewith, a

cutter head.

IRVING HINEBFELD. 

